Mowrey Rifle

[ssmandavid]

Hello all, I picked this up off of GB a couple months ago for $600. so, I figured I would share it with you.
the "Factory" papers are severely damaged, 

so I scanned it and digitally repaired it. It is .58 cal. with SN- 7238, anyone know if this is a Texas Rifle?
I swapped out the factory sights for some a little less primitive. I have not taken it to the range yet but hope to sometime this year.
enjoy, Dave

 

[Notchy Bob]

Thanks for the great pictures, Dave, and congratulations on your new rifle!

I've never owned or even handled one of those, and I have wondered what the "innards" looked like. Now we know.

I understand those rifles were capable of very good accuracy, and easy to maintain.

We will be looking forward to a range report in the near future.

Notchy Bob

 

[sheriff john]

I, also, always wondered what the "innards" looked like. Thank you for posting and the excellent photos.

 

[bang]

If you want to keep it in good working order don't shoot it.
Parts are like hens teeth
Replace the breech plug and put the barrel on a Renegade stock.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

My early TX Mowrey (looks the same, less 50-cal) was a 3-digit serial# and was clearly marked 'Olney, TX' on the barrel flat.

 

[tenngun]

My first gun, except it had a wood forearm. It was in .50. And got it for $90.
I did have to put a small wedge under the spring as it didn’t have quite enough umph to reliably pop a cap. Shot as good as I could hold

 

[ssmandavid]

Thanks for the great pictures, Dave, and congratulations on your new rifle!

I've never owned or even handled one of those, and I have wondered what the "innards" looked like. Now we know.

I understand those rifles were capable of very good accuracy, and easy to maintain.

We will be looking forward to a range report in the near future.

Notchy Bob

Thanks Bob, going to try in the fall. Dave

 

[ssmandavid]

I, also, always wondered what the "innards" looked like. Thank you for posting and the excellent photos.

you are welcome.

 

[ssmandavid]

If you want to keep it in good working order don't shoot it.
Parts are like hens teeth
Replace the breech plug and put the barrel on a Renegade stock.

Everything is nice and tight. no play in the hammer or trigger. i always keep my firearms clean and oiled.

 

[ssmandavid]

My early TX Mowrey (looks the same, less 50-cal) was a 3-digit serial# and was clearly marked 'Olney, TX' on the barrel flat.

No markings except the Caliber and SN. I hope someone who knows more will chime in.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

No markings except the Caliber and SN. I hope someone who knows more will chime in.

Did you ty the search feature? There's a ton of info on here about them already ...

 

[Notchy Bob]

The factory letter says it was “manufactured in Texas.” Did they have another facility somewhere else?

Just curious.

Notchy Bob

 

[ssmandavid]

Did you ty the search feature? There's a ton of info on here about them already ...

yes sir, not much on the Texas to Deer Creek transfer time frame. wish someone had a SN and date list. Dave

 

[ssmandavid]

The factory letter says it was “manufactured in Texas.” Did they have another facility somewhere else?

Just curious.

Notchy Bob

after the Texas co. shut down, they went to Deer Creek gun works, Waldron IN. now called "New Legacy Sales" no more mowrey stuff i was told.

 

[hanshi]

The Mowrey has always appealed to me as I thought they were among the most handsome rifles one could find and I still feel the same way. Congratulations on a great find.

 

[Notchy Bob]

after the Texas co. shut down, they went to Deer Creek gun works, Waldron IN. now called "New Legacy Sales" no more mowrey stuff i was told.

Thanks! I didn't know that.

This thread prompted me to look up Allen & Thurber firearms. Most of what you find on the web are "pepperbox" handguns, but there are a few rifles. The subject rifle of this thread looks very faithful to the originals.

Surely the moulds, dies, and tooling from Mowrey Gun Works are out there somewhere. Seems like somebody could get these interesting guns back in production.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[garypl]

I’ve never owned one but many years ago a couple of buddies had them and they were exceptionally accurate - nice find!

 

[flintsteel]

I posted this earlier on April1,2022 and thought you might enjoy the earlier story again.

I own the original Allen & Thurber rifle that Bill Mowrey used to copy for his “Mowrey” rifle. i had dropped it off at his gun shop in Jacksboro, Texas In early 1964. It had (and still has) a broken sear spring so I left it to be replaced. Well, time went by and every time I checked it was not fixed. Finally, right before I graduated from TCU in Fort Worth I stopped by to pick it up. Bill then showed me what he had been up to. He had made perfect wooden patterns of all the action parts and intended to start manufacturing them. He was a retired tool and die maker so this was not new territory for him. Did a nice job. Though the original is all cast iron he chose to use brass since it’s much easier to cast. He changed the forend—the original is a skinny iron casting. And he changed the buttplate—the original is a strange schutzen style cast from iron. Other than that it’s a pretty darn good copy. I told him he owed me a new rifle as royalty…..I’m still waiting…..

He made his own barrels in the shop, drilling and hand rifling them right there. Walnut was from flooded trees he salvaged from Lake Bridgeport and cut himself. He made everything himself. Not sure where he had the brass castings made but think it may have been in nearby Wichita Falls.

God rest his soul….

 

[flintsteel]

Here’s some photos of the original. The barrel is 34 1/2” and tapers slightly from 1” at the breech to .950 at muzzle. Caliber is around .45. Notice the square headed nail someone used to strengthen the main spring. Also note there is no half **** On the sear. In the late 50’s I shot an awful lot of rabbits and coyotes with this gun. First Muzzleloading rifle I owned.

The Allen was a “factory” built gun and its design required very little skilled workmanship. Workers could be assigned a specific task and repeat it time and again without much instruction. It was low priced but effective. And strong. Not much to go wrong with it. Sheer genius!

The bolt through the stock from the butt to the action kept the stock solidly secured and also strengthened the sock. This is the earliest iteration of the through bolt in guns I am aware of.

 

[garypl]

What a great piece of history!